Two South Korean activists returned home Friday after Israeli forces released them from custody aboard aid vessels heading to the Gaza Strip.
Kim Ah-hyun was aboard the vessel Lina Al Nabulsi seized near the Gaza Strip, while Kim Dong-hyeon was on the Kyriakos X intercepted near Cyprus. The pair was released Wednesday and arrived together at Incheon International Airport at 6:24 a.m. Friday.
Kim Ah-hyun told reporters at the airport that many people are dying not only from bombings but also from starvation. She said she felt she had to attempt the voyage again despite the dangers. She had tried a similar unauthorized entry in October and was previously detained by Israeli forces.
Kim Dong-hyeon claimed Israeli forces tortured the activists and subjected them to unendurable violence. The Israeli Embassy in Seoul stated the vessels carried no humanitarian aid and described the flotilla as a provocation.
President Lee Jae Myung criticized the seizure for violating international rules as the ships were outside Israeli territorial waters. The presidential office welcomed the immediate release while expressing regret over the initial detention.
